I've been a silent reader on the forum for the past several months. My ileostomy surgery was May 2007. My post surgical CT scan revealed a tiny blood clot in one of the intestinal veins that had been surgically closed. They decided to ultrasound my whole body in search of any additional clots that could potentially be a problem. No clots were found but they did find a significant sized thyroid nodule. Go figure. I had my surgery in Cleveland and I live in Idaho so I was advised to "check into that when you go home".

I, like so many of you, was sick, sick of testing and hospitals in general so waited six months to have my second ultrasound. Guess what? Cancer. I had a total thryoidectomy Jan 2008. Unfortunately, there are remaining cancer cells in my neck and lymph nodes so my next venture will be radioactive iodine. I have to take a thyroid replacement medication now which is interesting with an ileostomy because it speeds everything up. Some days I feel like I eat and empty bags all day long.

Sometimes I wonder how much of the intestinal problems, bad steroids, and major health stressors contributed to the cancer. I also have told my docs, no more testing....of anything. I'm done with the whole medical scene.Diagnosed Crohn's/Colitis 2003.

Crohned,Thanks for sharing your story. I'm so sorry you've had to go through this, because Crohn's is bad enough, but I sure am glad they found it. It does sound like a blessing in disguise.

Your story reminds me of a friend of mine who found out she had colon cancer when she went in for gall bladder surgery, and the doctor accidentally nicked her colon. Had that not happened, who knows when she would have found it? Another woman I know had thyroid cancer a couple of years ago and has been cancer-free ever since her thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine treatment. Please hang in there, it's almost over!

I don't know if this will help with your output, but some foods that I notice really thicken things up are sticky white rice, bananas, peanut butter, and bread. I like to make peanut butter and banana sandwiches with honey on top. Yum!

I pray that you continue to improve. Please keep us updated on how you're doing.

Take care,

CeciliaDx'd Crohn's in '99 at 28. Proctocolectomy and ileostomy in '06.Disease-free, medicine-free, and very thankful to be healthy again :)

i'm sorry to hear fo what happened with you. I often have these fears, especially being on these biological meds. They all have so many "possible" side effects that its scary. So then u have to choose. Take the meds, feel better now and get sick later? or dont take them and feel miserable now and later? The choice is often a hard one for me. I pray that you get better. and like cecilia said, please keep us posted25 y/o female- crohns disease since 14Ileostomy pending-very worriedTried asacol,pentasa,prednisone,remicade,6mp,azasan, no availSeatons placedWorst year ever!

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear....." Where does mine come from?!

I'm so sorry there is yet another health thing you are dealing with. Fortunately they did catch it and hopefully after your treatment you'll be cancer free and this will be the end of health problems for you and you can get your life back.

I have MS and had my colon removed Oct 07. In January I was working my way back to exercising and my cardio was coming back and I was feeling like I was finally getting my life back. Then all of a sudden my cardio ability started declining. Now I can't even clean my house. I get dizzy and winded just walking around the house and am very weak and fatigued.

I was trying to wait till flu season was over before I went to the doctor, but it looks like I'm going to have to go in and let them run blood work and see what tests they want to perform to see what might be causing this.

It's been one thing after another regarding my health issues and like you, I'm getting tired of it. I told my gf after the colon surgery that I'm done fighting. If I'm dx'd with cancer I'm not going to be able to go thru the treatment. I'm tired of it all.

I don't know how much more I can take.

I pray your treatment is a complete success and you are blessed with full health.

I think many of us have or have had the same feelings. I've had so many Cat-Scans I'm sure I glow in the dark. I recently read that they are now concerned about the effects of radiation from Cat-Scans. Great news for someone who has had a million of them! And don't get me started on the side effects of all the meds I took. They were giving me them by the cupful when I was in the ICU.

I've decided to take it slowly, enjoy each day and do the best I can. I'll take the meds and do the tests I can (even the dreaded barium enema scan) and give it all over to the big guy upstairs. So far it's been working, through good & bad.

It is good to know that others have had the same feelings and are coping. I hope we all find our way through these trials.

Richard

Indabag

Ileostomy since August 2005.

As result of surgery (modified whipple) for necrotising pancreatitis. Removal of gallbladder, 2/3 of pancreas, resections of large and small intestines. Massive infection. 8 months in ICU at Westchester County M.C. (I think that's a record). Second surgery for resection due to fistulas in January 2007. Been slowly recovering since then. Possible reconnection candidate.